At Virginia Tech School of Architecture, back when computer drafting was still pretty much 2d (feeling older now), we used to build models a lot, by hand. We all got pretty good with an Olfa cutter. Chip board, foam core and Homasote were some of the products of choice. Homasote was rigid but soft, light, and a neutral grey which made for good backgrounds for more dramatic architectural statements. I have fond memories of the product. I recently attended a continuing education seminar and was reminded of Homasote as a building material. More so on a larger scale this time as a sound absorbing layer in wall and floor construction.

Homasote has done the testing so as to provide sound deadening assemblies to STC 60 for walls and STC 53 for floors. A great solution for projects where code or program require a sound absorption. With 98% Recycled content (newspaper) you cannot get much Greener.

As a practicing Architect I have sales reps stop by often with their latest and greatest product. Sometimes I am busy and don’t have much time to talk and other times I likely take to much of their time. Working alone gets lonely sometimes and I will be a bit verbose. Some of the presented products are better than others and some I cannot wait to use on some future project.

I ran across this product a while back called EarthStone. They are 3cm granite tiles made from the recycled cut offs of large commercial building stone cladding projects. They have a heavy press with pattern dies that they then punch their shapes from the remnants. Polished face up for interior applications, rough for exterior. Very affordable. Great choice for Green product selection and LEED credits if you are trying to quantify your projects ‘Greenness’. See www.earthstoneproducts.net